Classic Images of the American South

For those fortunate enough to live along the South’s coasts, few seasonal traditions are more beloved than the Summer fish fry. Growing up in a small town in Tennessee (yes, admittedly rather far from the coast), one of the things I looked forward to the most each July was the Bethlehem Methodist Church’s annual catfish fry.

Deep fried catfish fillets, hush puppies as big as small fists, barrels of sweet tea, and rows of clothed tables filled with homemade pies and desserts all made this thesocial event of the summer. Everyone was there, and everyone always had a great time.

Come to think of it, I guess that the fish fry can hardly be considered the exclusive domain of the coastal folks. While I’ve been to some wonderful fish fries and oyster roasts in the Carolinas, I’d put my humble Tennessee catfish fry against any one of them.

Regardless, here are some great images from a small fry in Georgetown, South Carolina, taken right near the turn of the 20th century.

Group of Men with their Fish, Georgetown County, S.C., ca. 1900 Photo by Alfred G. Trenholm